3D Printing Education Takes Off in China with Weistek’s MiniToy 3D Printer
In early April 3Dprint.com reported that China intends to install at least one 3D printer in each of its 400.000 elementary schools. One company that is well positioned to take advantage of this opportunity is 3D Printing Business Directory’s premium partner Weistek, which is about to launch its STEM-ready kid-friendly MiniToy 3D printer on Kickstarter, with prices starting as low as $249.
A 3D Printing Education Curriculum
Weistek is launching the MiniToy’s crowd-funding campaign next May 10th, aiming to become the world’s first truly kid-friendly and education-ready 3D printer. In doing so, the company is trying to break into a segment – that of 3D printing for kids – that many have tried to enter before but have generally failed to produce the ideal product so far.
In order to best its predecessors, Weistek is offering an ultra-low price point of $249 (with a $200 discount off the regular price, available to those who sign up for the pre-Kickstarter newsletter) and designed the MiniToy with all mechanical and heated parts hidden away, to prevent accidental burns or injuries.
Full STEAM Ahead for Innovation in China
Even more importantly, the MiniToy comes with a series of increased accessibility options such as the MiniToy’s mobile app. The customs software hosts an array of hands-on activities categorized into Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) subjects, making it easy for teachers to provide more interactive content to their lessons.
These features earned the MiniToy the recognition of the electronics industry and was places among “The Most Promising Electronic Gadgets” at the latest 2016 Global Sources Electronics Show, which closed last April 30th in Hong Kong. The products which received the award were selected as this that best represent the shift of China from the world’s factory to a hub for innovation, a shift that necessarily begins from the classroom.
